OVERVIEW: Mars in 1816 is a world of high society,
deadly danger, and strange clockwork machines.

Twelve-year-old Edward Sullivan wants to become a spy like the ones he reads
about in his favorite magazine, Thrilling
Martian Tales, but he’s far too busy keeping his eccentric family from
disaster. All of that is about to change. In the north, great dragon tombs hide
marvels of Ancient Martian technology, and the villainous archaeologist Sir
Titus Dane is determined to loot one.

When Sir Titus kidnaps Edward’s parents, Edward, his sisters, and their
mysterious cousin set off in pursuit across the Martian wilderness. Together
they must battle Sir Titus’s minions, dodge hungry pterodactyls, and escape
fearsome Martian hunting machines in order to rescue Edward’s parents and
uncover the secrets of the dragon tomb.

Secrets of the Dragon Tomb by
Patrick Samphire is a classic adventure story, full of fun, humor and heart
with stunning illustrations by Jeremy Holmes throughout.

FORMAT: Secrets
of the Dragon Tomb is a children's sci-fi/fantasy novel. It has
historical elements, mystery, adventure, space travel, aliens, dragons,
dinosaurs, and lots of creepy-crawly bugs/creatures. The novel stands at 322
pages. It was published on January 12, 2016 by Henry Holt and Company.

ANALYSIS: When it
comes to writing – and publishing – there is a desire to stick with what works.
Authors and publishers alike are often afraid to step too far out of the
literary world's comfort zone in a fear that something won't work. This leads
to a slew of novels that are good, but relatively lacking in originality. So, imagine
my surprise when I encountered the children's novel, Secrets of the Dragon Tomb,
which definitely doesn't conform to the norm.

Secrets of the Dragon Tomb is a children's novel that mixes
so much into a small novel. It has sci-fi elements, steampunk, English history,
a little romance, adventure, and a touch of humor. This might seem like a
hodgepodge of elements that when combined wouldn't work out, but Secrets
of the Dragon Tomb makes it work.

Readers are taken back in time to 1816, but it isn't like
anything you would expect. In this alternative world, Britain has successfully
colonized Mars. Travel to and from, and even around, Mars is made possible by
dragon pathways. Everything from the way people talk and act to the style of
the homes and even the society hierarchy is similar to what would happen in
1816 Britain; the only difference is that people live on Mars. Living on Mars
has its challenges, there are unique creatures that may or may not be friendly,
native Martians, dinosaurs, and lots of undiscovered areas that could hold
untold riches.

In this first novel of the series, we are introduced to
Edward, a young 12-year old boy, who lives on British Mars. Edward longs to
have exciting adventures that are similar to what he reads about in the books
he loves, but he hasn't had the opportunity to experience these types of
adventures. Edward's adventure begins when his father's steampunk-style
invention known as the water abacus attracts the attention of some bad guys, the
family goes missing, and somehow this all seems linked to the rumor that there
is an undiscovered dragon tomb somewhere on Mars.

I absolutely loved Secrets of the Dragon Tomb, more
than I thought I would like it. I was unsure how all the elements of sci-fi,
space, steampunk, adventure, and history would mix together, but it was
extremely well-done.

The first thing that jumps out at you Secrets of the Dragon Tomb
is the world building. It is done in a way that makes it easily to understand
what is going on. It isn't 'dumbed down' for children, but it is done in a way
that makes it easy for younger readers to get an understanding of the
historical and unique aspects. Even though it is geared towards the younger
reader, older readers will be able to enjoy the world building as it doesn't
feel as if it is solely geared to the youngest reader. In fact, I think older
readers will be able to appreciate how much work went into creating such a
detailed world.

The characters in Secrets of the Dragon Tomb didn't
really grab my attention at first. Most of my focus was on the world building
and action, but slowly the characters started to grow on me. By the end of the
book, I had grown super attached to them and was ready for the next adventure.

I will say at times the humor isn't laugh out loud funny. It
is more light hearted and will certainly put a smile on your face. Many times
the definition of humor in children's books is farting, burping, and other juvenile
elements. That isn't the case with Secrets of the Dragon Tomb. The humor is age
appropriate for children, but it will still appeal to adults, too.

Overall, I loved Secrets of the Dragon Tomb. I wasn't
100% certain what I would get when I started reading it, but it was amazingly
well done. I was surprised to see how well the historical, sci-fi, steampunk,
adventure, dinosaur elements blended together. It was also refreshing to see an
author willing to take a risk with his novel and have it work out.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for
something different, but who doesn't want to spend a lot of time reading a
doorstopper novel. It is also great for children who are tired of seeing the
same old, same old or for those who aren't committed to reading traditional
fantasy novels. The adventure, mystery, and fast pace of this novel is enough
to capture the attention of readers young and old.